Thursday, July 20, 2017

I have a unique product to introduce to you all today, called Doctor Aviation, if your family enjoys anything to do with aviation then this may just be right up your alley. My high schooler has been undertaking a course in aviation education and was provided access to the complete course in order to bring this review to you.

What Is Doctor AviationThis product is the brain child of Daryl Smith, aka Doctor Aviation. The course is an introduction to all things aviation and will provide the student with the basic tools and knowledge to take off into the world of flight. The course is recommended for ages 16 and up, of course if you have a younger student that is a very keen aviator then be sure to take a look at the trial lesson on their website.Doctor Aviation himself has a long list of credentials, including those of United States Airforce Command Pilot, Instructor Pilot, Research Pilot, he has authored an aviation book and is currently a college professor. The program is based around a series of video lectures, that all average 60 minutes in length.The lesson structure is broken into sections, with each section containing two - four accompanying lessons. It is broken down as follows.Section One - Course OverviewThe Aviation SystemSection Two - The AircraftThe Major Components Of An AirplaneAxes & ForcesWhy An Aircraft Flies - The Secret Of Airfoils & LiftWhy An Aircraft Turns, Pitches & Slides - The Flight ControlsSection Three - Air Traffic ControlHow We See An Aircraft Miles Away - The Secrets Of RadarThe Air Traffic Cops - How Air Control WorksSection Four - Aircraft MaintenanceKeep 'em Flying - Propeller EnginesKeep 'em Flying - Jet EnginesSection Five - Airfield OperationsThe City In & Of Itself - Running A Large AirportThe Small Airport & Running An FBOSection Six - The Aircraft IIFlying In The Clear & Not So Clear Air - VMC & IMCImportant Pilot Instruments - Attitude IndicatorImportant Pilot Instruments - Airspeed IndicatorOther Aviation Ships - Gliders, Helicopters, AirshipsEach section also contains a printable guided notes pdf. This is intended to be downloaded and completed as you watch the video lectures.For those that wish to delve even deeper there is also a 'To Learn More' page, this area has a huge array of further resources to take the learning to a deeper level. Here you are given recommendations of books to read, websites to visit and further study ideas all pertaining to that particular lesson.As you progress further into the course you will have the option of printing off Exam Practice Questions. Potentially allowing the student a complete high school credit option if they chose to undertake all of the learning opportunities housed within here.

How Did We Use Doctor AviationMy teen chose to use the site in its simplest form, that of watching the live lectures and completing the printed guided notes, as you can see in the image above.Whilst we do spend some time looking at the extra resources to see if there is anything there he would like to follow further, for now he is content in simply increasing his introductory knowledge of aviation.What We Didn't LikeThis is a thorough course, giving a great introduction to aviation and it is designed for students 16 years and over. My son is 15, he is able to complete this independently and whilst he has found the video lectures extremely informative, he personally doesn't overly enjoy the basic lecture style of video presentations.His wish was two things, for it to be somewhat more animated in the delivery style and for the videos to not be quite so long, therefore expanding the number of videos included. This is always going to be a personal preference though.What We Did LikeHe is however truly enjoying the sharing of information and the exploration of aircraft. He does feel he is learning a great deal from this program. If aviation was a possibility on his list of potential careers then I know that this course would be a truly valuable asset.Further DetailsVisit the Doctor Aviation website for a trial of the first session, The Aviation System.Doctor Aviation on FacebookDoctor Aviation on Twitter If you would like to see more reviews about this product simply click on the image below.